Spero elaborates on the events described in ‘Fidelis’, but starts and ends in different places.  This may sound like an odd way to tell a story (book two of a series traditionally picks up where book one finished, after all), but it proves to be a refreshing and clever way to - almost literally - weave a narrative, with a different thread of the future history that Horvath is constructing being plucked out of the tapestry of the whole and examined.

We follow the fortunes of two characters who we met in Fidelis, Tasha and King, from their first meeting just after a massive nuclear strike on the USA.  Told initially from Tasha’s point of view, but thereafter mostly from King’s perspective we get a different look at the unfolding events in this post-apocalyptic landscape.  At first the two friends are making their own way through the troubled country, giving us an insight into events not witnessed by the primary characters of Fidelis, but later we come to the first meeting of Tasha and King with Fides and Fermion, now seen and described through different eyes.

Here is where Horvath’s device of overlapping different characters’ narratives in successive books risks becoming repetitive as we are taken through events we have already read about, but the change in point of view and the individual concerns of the new characters (in the teenage King’s case, touchingly recognisable worries about girls are jarringly set against a back-drop of dystopian civil war) make the story fresh and interesting, even if we occasionally know what is coming next.

Some questions from Book One are answered (who is Fermion?), while others are left unresolved (who are the Shadowmen?).  Puzzles still remain at the end of the book about the characters we have been following throughout - for instance, is Tasha, who slays multiple highwaymen with rather more skill than your average elderly lady, really all she seems?  Tune in for Book Three to find out (I sincerely hope!).

Horvath’s villains are a nice mix of well-rounded characters who can be quite difficult to spot, and out-and-out rotters with nothing to recommend them whatsoever.  This balance between the black-and-white good vs evil ideology of a traditional heroic adventure story (or any of George W Bush’s speeches) and a more thoughtful approach satisfies both emotionally and intellectually.

The diverging paths of the main characters preserve an unknown ending, which does not disappoint for a dangling cliff-hanger on the edge of a cataclysmic battle with the evil Pledge forces, with elements of a Tolkienesque epic mythos seen again in the closing paragraphs.

All in all, I found Spero to be an excellent book, which made me want to go back and read Fidelis again.  The only question remains, what’s he going to call the next one?

We’ve had ‘Faith’ (Fidelis), and now ‘Hope’.  If this were a trilogy, I would have to go for the Latin word for ‘Love’ (taking my cue from 1 Corinthians 13:13) - I’m thinking possibly ‘Amare’.  However, since I have it on good authority that there are seven books planned, then I’m going to have to put my money on ‘Caritas’, the third of the seven Heavenly Virtues (the polar opposite of the famous Deadly Sins) after Faith and Hope - Charity.

Danny F, England.

[Editor:  The third book is indeed titled Caritas!  Good job, Danny!]

Fidelis is the best speculative fiction I have read since the early 80’s. Reminiscent of Heinlein’s writings with the skills of a master wordsmith, A.R. Horvath has created an amazing world and looks to a possible future that is dark and brooding. He creates a world in which the United States has entered a second dark ages after a military defeat. The writing is superb, the characters believable and engaging. As you read you become transported into the events by Horvath’s skill with the pen for he draws you in and captivates you. His storytelling is masterful.

Read the rest of the review.

Deadline for Overseas Shipping Order: Sunday November 25th, 2007

(A donation of $10.00 is approximately two books to a soldier. )

I have some relatives in the military who have read my book and enjoyed it and I believe that most American soldiers would as well. I got to thinking about it and wondering about how I can get copies of my book in the hands of soldiers. I contacted www.soldiersangels.com and they have replied agreeing to facilitate getting my book in the hands of our soldiers and veterans, including wounded soldiers in the Veteran’s hospitals, etc.

Your donation will help me make bulk purchases of my book so that I can distribute more than I would if I bought them in smaller quantities.

For tax purposes you should consider your donation a purchase as I am not equipped as a tax exempt organization. Also, if you would like to purchase your own, personal copy, please purchase it separately so that I can keep the monies distinct. However, if you donate and then purchase the book, I will in turn donate part of the proceeds to buying more books to give to our troops. That is for donors only!

(A donation of $10.00 is approximately two books to a soldier. )

I might ask my atheist friend how it comes that there are universal values that humans can mutually relate to…

This is the second reviewer that I’ve noted compared Fidelis to Harry Potter. Obviously, that makes me happy, because that puts me in good company. At least in Fidelis (what later books might be like, I won’t say) it seems to me that there are more affinities to the Lord of the Rings series than the Harry Potter ones, but one can certainly see both (Jean does).  The magic in Fidelis is of a different sort than that in Harry Potter, but certain themes certainly are shared: loyalty, courage, virtue, self-discipline, good is superior to evil- even if good ‘loses’ (which it never does!). It would be fair to say that Fidelis is not meant to be a knock off of Harry Potter, or the Lord of the Rings, or any other fantasy type series you might envision but that Fidelis is deeply inspired and influenced by such series is definitely true. In fact, the astute reader may see that the inspiration runs deeper then one might expect.

At any rate, for Christian readers out there who may have read my open letter to Christian Muggles, you can confident that when Ms. Heimann titles here review as an alternative to Harry Potter, she does so correctly. Feel free to buy my book instead of the Harry Potter books all you like.

In conclusion, Ms. Heimann makes this interesting comment: “There is a prophetic message presented in this first book of seven in the BirthPangs Series. …. Fidelis only hints at the possibilities, but it certainly poses a relevant concern for the future.”

Relevant, indeed. Boy, I can’t wait until I can talk freely about all of this!

“Fidelis” is fluent, gripping and written as though the author had actually been there. I saw not a word out of place or any word that may have qualified as filler. That’s why I simply couldn’t put the book down. Neither could my 13-year-old son.

But more importantly, I felt as though I were in a gold mine with nuggets of wisdom popping up everywhere… READ THE WHOLE REVIEW.

From Jean Heimann at the Catholic Fire blog:

In his clear, easy to read writing style, Horvath presents us with a story that grabs our attention from the first page and holds it until the very end. He introduces us to an interesting array of characters, which he describes in picturesque terms, [who] “speak” for themselves… READ THE WHOLE REVIEW

From Josh M, on Amazon.com: Left Behind meets The Dark Tower, July 30, 2007

Fidelis is the first book in the Birthpangs series by A.R. Hovath. If you have ever read the Left Behind series or Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series you will fall in love with this book. I could hardly stop reading it and have been reccomending it to everyone I know. I plan to give this for birthdays and Christmas until the next book comes out.

You follow the journey of Fides through the post-apocalyptic areas of the Americas. If you liked the premise of Left Behind but didn’t like how it was so in-your-face about Christianity, then you will really enjoy this book. It gives you ideas of Christianity without telling you how to think and act. It gives you a foundation on which to build your own opinions.

This book makes for great discussions and arguments on what humanity is and what it should be. It makes you think about your life and actions. This would be great for book clubs or discussion groups.

From Nick, on Amazon.com: Awesome Read…, April 13, 2007

I have seen this book compared to Harry Potter and other literary classics, but AR (Tony) Horvath’s book FIDELIS, is in a class by itself. From the very begining to the end, this book makes you think, and also keeps you guessing. There are some bits of flashback to set up the story, and as you delve deeper into the story, you realize why an event took place… and again it makes you think!Twists and turns on every page, filled with an interesting array of characters, each with their own story and tale. I can only look forward with anticipation on the next installment. This is the kind of wait as when JR had been shot on Dallas, in the 1980’s and kept America talking for an entire summer about “Who Shot JR”. Well I know I will be talking with my friends over the summer to ask some of those same type of questions! I will not divulge anything here, as I do not want to spoil it for you… But it will definately keep you guessing!

I would not be surprised if Hollywood came knocking in the next few months, and unlike Harry Potter, this story takes place right here at home… most likely in the not too distant future.

From an anonymous reviewer on BarnesandNoble.com:

Lord of the Rings, meet Mad Max!‘Fidelis’ is an expertly-crafted adventure of human drama set in a chaotic post-nuclear America. The main character is Fides, a blue-collar ‘everyman’ from the Midwest, who unwillingly becomes a man on a mission, the importance of which is hidden from him. That is , until it’s too late to turn back… From the initial, terrifying plot twist, to places of quiet solitude, to desperate battles involving massed armies, Fides finds both conflict and comfort in the most unlikely places and people, and ultimately, from an unlikely source, the inner strength which had always eluded him. Anthony Horvath has delivered a first-class adventure , a spellbinding saga which I found to poignant, thought-provoking and magical. Packed with surprises and edge-of-your-seat action, ‘Fidelis’ captivates from start to finish.

Brett M, a US soldier in Iraq says, “The plot continues to thicken and there is never really a dull moment! Masterfully written and well researched…

”From Elijah, on Amazon.com,

“There are precious few authors these days trying to use fantastical settings to grapple with deep, personal issues. In fact, “Fidelis”, Horvath’s first fictional work, will probably be the only novel you’ll come across these days that explores topics like truth and propaganda, manhood and bravery, and fact and religion as the deep, perplexing ideas they are–ideas that we can’t understand except in the context of real struggle. Horvath presents this struggle in an equally intriguing post-nuclear America where humanity is exposed and purified in the flames of civil-war and anarchy.As a first attempt to explore such vast topics in an equally vast setting, Horvath sets a high precedence that will make future additions to this series a real challenge. I wait in eager anticipation for the many secrets and mysteries of the Birthpangs world to be unraveled in his future books.”

From Tammy, on Amazon.com, “Great story! I had a hard time putting this book down. I was very intrigued with the “future” portrayed by the author.”

From Rareairpug, on the Birth Pangs Discussion Forum,

“From the opening chapter, Fidelis is full of action packed chases and dangerous encounters with startling twists around every corner. Fides meets a wide array of characters on his travels, and most of them are more than what they seem. From the strange necklace around Fides’ neck, to the book he receives from Corrie, to the enigmatic words of his fellow traveler Fermion, Fides is surrounded by mystery. Will he find the answers he seeks?

Fidelis takes the reader on an edge of his seat thrill ride from start to finish. Nothing is certain in the world of Fides, and caution is a must for survival. The climatic conclusion of the novel will have readers anxious for the next installment of Birthpangs.”

From Scott, in an email to the author,

“Your descriptive style put me front and centre during the battles, which were very well-concieved and realistic from a tactical point of view,(no invincible “Rambo’s”) and therefore quite realistic. I think I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once!”